Snap hook



Jan. 25, 1927.

J. M. WALSH SNAP H00 K Filed June 27. 1925 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. WALSH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ,ASSIGNOR TO JAMES M. WALSH00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

" SNAP HOOK.

Application filed June 27, 1925. Serial No. 40,021.

This invention relates to improvementsin snap hooks more particularlyadapted for use with harness.

In the ordinary snap hook the locking member is yieldingly held inlocked position by a spring and when the spring breaks the hook isusually thrown away as worthless. Other forms of snap hooks haveseparable locking members which may be removedto replace the spring ifbroken, but if easily removable the locking member is apt toaccidentally separate from the hook, and the parts become lost.

It is one of the objects of the present 111- venti-on to overcome thebefore mentioned objectionable features and provide a snap hook with anon-removable locking member which is yieldingly held in locked positionby a replaceable spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snap hook in which thelocking member hook may be easily replaced if broken without removingthe locking member from the hook.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snap hook having meansfor preventing the strap stitching from running off the side edges ofthe strap to which the hook is attached and also to hold the hook inalined position with the strap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snap hook which is ofsimple construction, is strong and durable, and 1s well adapted for thepurpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consist of theimproved snap hook and its parts and combinations as set forth in theclaims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characterindicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the improved. snap hook, the view alsoindicating by dotted lines the manner of attaching a strap thereto;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the snap hook, the locking member or keeperbeing shown in section. I

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates the body of theimproved snap hook which is provided with a shank 6 having a hook 7 atone end. The opposite end of the body is provided with an eye 8 hav inga straight strap engaging portion 9 and strap sewing recesses or slots10 form-ed by the projecting fingers 11. These fingers are adapted toextend between the loop of the strap 12 and the fingers 11 to preventthe lines of sewing 13 from running off the opposite side edges of thestrap 14 in sewing. Said fingers also hold the hook in alinement withthe strap..

A locking member or keeper 14 of U- shape in cross section is formedwith opposite side pivot ears 15 and opposite side guard projections 16.The ears 15 straddle the body portion and are pivotally connectedthereto by a pivot pin 17 while the projections 16 slidably extend onopposite sides of the shank portion 6 to maintain the part engaged bythe hook in its proper place. The end ortion 1 1 of the keeper extendsinside of and overlaps the end portion 7 of the hook 7.

The side edge portion of the body 5 be tween the ears 15 is formed witha curved recess 18' forming retaining shoulders 19 and 20. A U-shapedspring 21 having stem portions 21 of substantially equal length ispositioned between the shank 6 and the keeper 14 and extends into thecurved recess 18 of the shank between the shoulders 19 and 20 thereof.As thus positioned, the shoulders and the opposite side portions of thekeeper 15 maintain the spring yieldingly in position but perm t the easyreplacement of the spring, when necessary. The spring will yieldinglyhold the keeper against the point of the hook, and in the event it isdamaged or broken, it can be pushed outwardly toward the hook and beremoved, and a new spring can be easily pushed into position from theeye of the hook.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the snap hook is ofvery simple construction and is well adapted for the plus posedescribed, and in the event of the weakening or breaking of the spring,the spring may be easily replaced without removing the hook from theharness to which it is attached.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A snap hook, comprising a member having a body portion and a shankwith a hook formed at its end, a keeper member formed with eyed ears andguard projections which extend on each side of the member, meanspivotally connecting the eyed ears to the body portion,v one of the. twomembers having a recess forming shoulders adjacent the other member, anda U sha-ped' spring removably positioned between the eyed ears andbetween and engaging the twomembers and entering the recess betweenthe.

shoulders.

2. A snap hook, comprising a-member having a body portion provided witha side edge recess forming shoulders andvaiso h-a-ring a shank with ahook formed at its end, a keeper member having opposite side eyed earsand opposite side guard. projectionswhicl't extend on eachside of thebody portion, means pivotally connecting; the. eyed ears to the bodyportion, and a U shaped spring removab'ly positioned between. the eyedears and between the two members and. having one of its stem:v portions:extending into the body portion recess; between: theshonldersi andremovable in: a direction: toward. the hook.

3 A snap hook, comprising a member having a body portiolr provided-"witha side edge recess forming shoulders and: also. hav

ing a shank: with: a hook. tonmed at its end,

' a u shaped spring having stems of equal length: removably positionedbetween. the two members and between the eyed ears and having one of itsstem portions extending into the recess andbetween the: shoulders Whilethe other stem portion. bears. against the in ner side of the keepermember between side portions thereof, said spring being remorablein a.direction. toward the hook.

4. A snap hook, comprising a member having-a portion provided with aside edge cunved recess forming shoulders and also having a shank with ahookforli'ied' at its end, the body portion also having an eye andfingers projecting from the eyed portion to. form parallelsewingslots, akeeper memberhaving oppositesideeyed ears and opposite side' guardprojections which extend. on each. side: of the body portion, the-outerend portion of the keeper member engaging the end of the hook. inoverlapping relation, a pin; extending; through the eyed ears and thebody portion to pivotally connect the keeper member thereto, and aU-shaped spring removabjly positioned between the two members: andbetween the eyed ears and having one of its stem. portions extendingintov therecess-and engaging; the shoulders while the other stem portionbears against the inner side of the keeper between side portionsthereof, said spring having its stem. extendin-gi toward? thehook andthe spring. being removable in a direction toward the hook.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature;

JAMES VALSH.

